“active fighting” in the South, cooling works in Zaporizhia

2023-06-09 10:04:50

► Uncertainty about the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive

Of the “active fighting” raged early Friday, June 9 in the Zaporizhia region of southern Ukraine, according to a Russian occupation official, observers seeing the beginnings of the expected counter-offensive from Kiev, which remains silent on its side .

“At present, active fighting has resumed in the region between Orekhovo (the Russian name of Orikhiv, editor’s note.) and Tokmak”at the level of the current front line between Russian and Ukrainian forces, said a Russian official.

According to Alexander Sladkov, a correspondent for Russian public television, who runs a Telegram channel followed by more than a million people, “the artillery” Russian and Ukrainian are at work. kyiv’s troops are on the offensive, he assures us: ” long and hard fights are underway”he wrote claiming that “the front line is stable”.

► Water from the dam continues to cool the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant

The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine is continuing to pump water from the Kakhovka dam to cool the fuel and avoid an accident, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday.

The destruction of the dam located on the Dnieper River has raised concern for the Russian-occupied site of Zaporizhia, which is 150 km upstream. After examination, it turned out that the pumping operations should “to be able to continue even if the level fell below the current threshold of 12.7 meters”previously deemed critical, explained the UN body in a press release, which now sets the limit at “11 meters or even lower”.

“In these difficult circumstances, this gives us a little more time before possibly switching to other sources of supply”underlined the head of the IAEA Rafael Grossi, expected on the scene next week.

► Ukraine and its allies condemn the “attacks” on evacuations after the destruction of the dam

Ukraine and its allies, including the United States, France and Japan, on Thursday condemned the “attacks” against relief operations in Kherson, calling on Russia to allow access “without hindrance” help after the destruction of the dam.

“We strongly condemn the shelling of evacuation areas and call on the Russian authorities to stop such attacks and allow evacuation teams to help the affected populations unhindered”Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya told the press, surrounded by his counterparts from several members of the Security Council (United States, France, United Kingdom, Japan, Malta, Albania) and Member States of the European Union.

On Thursday, Russian artillery fire left one dead and 18 injured in the midst of a relief operation in Kherson.

► A Russian residential building hit by a drone

At least two people were injured on Friday when a drone crashed into a residential building in the southern Russian city of Voronezh, local authorities said.

“A drone fell in Voronezh”regional governor Alexander Gusev wrote on Telegram. ” Two people were injured “he said, pointing out that “all necessary assistance has been provided to them”.

Russia has been the target for weeks of an increasing number of drone attacks and artillery bombardments that Moscow blames on Ukrainian forces.

► The Netherlands sends relief materials to Ukraine

THE The Netherlands are sending to Ukraine about 30 rescue boats, water pumps and waterproof equipment for relief after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, authorities announced on Thursday.

The material that will be provided ” as soon as possible “ includes 32 lifeboats, 15 water pumps and 180 life jackets, according to the Ministry of Development and Foreign Trade.

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